The Minnesota Vikings are stuck between sub-optimal options at the quarterback position, which may clear the way for a couple of big swings on calculated risks.
One such move that has gained popularity in recent days is trading star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and resetting the offense without him or quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2024. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz is the most recent NFL insider to author such a proposal, which was part of a series of “bold moves” he suggested to teams around the league on Friday, February 23.
Jefferson’s salary just ballooned to $19.7 million because of his fifth-year option in 2024, and it’s going to be higher than that if the Vikings can sign him to a long-term extension. He is also making noise that he wants to know the team’s future quarterback plans before he signs that extension.
He probably wants Kirk Cousins back. Cousins had one of his best half-seasons in 2023, but giving him another long-term deal at age 35 might not be the best decision for Minnesota’s future.
So why not just go for a total reset? Trade Jefferson for a couple of high draft picks. Use one of them to draft his replacement, the same way the Vikings traded away Stefon Diggs and used the pick they got in return to draft Jefferson. Perhaps that pick can be used on a young quarterback, or to trade up for a better young quarterback.
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